Refugee Connect

The 20/20 Trust’s Refugee Connect programme works with refugee families in a similar way to Computers in Homes. It helps them use information and communication technology as a tool for learning, and for connecting with family members who still live overseas.

Our aim is to provide both the children and parents with the digital tools tools and skills they need to become active learners, access online educational resources, and stay in touch with family and events in their original home country.

The families are from refugee communities in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Palmerston North, Nelson,Dunedin and Invercargill.

“We are so privileged to be working with such a culturally diverse group of families.

As new Kiwis they bring perspective and wisdom to each of their new communities.”

Shona Te Huki

The 20/20 Trust provides refurbished computers and internet access to 130 refugee background families nationally per year, under a Ministry of Education contract. The Ministry contracts separately a regional training provider to deliver the training component, employ family liaison and provide technical support to the families during the 12 month contract.

We are very appreciative of our regional training providers, who are achieving outstanding results with the delivery of the programme for each family we come into contact with and also the communities who have embraced each new family as they make New Zealand home.

A refugee family tells how Computers in Homes helped them – young and old – learn English, gain skills, employment, and keep in touch with family in Myanmar. A trainer reflects…

Outcomes of the programme’s 12 months of training and support will include:

greater self-confidence in using ICT

improved child/parent and home/school relationships

families accessing educational resources relevant to their language and culture

improved literacy and numeracy

improved communication skills

How families are chosen

Computer in Homes training for the whole family

Annual numbers are limited, and priority is given to recently arrived quota refugee families who:

have secondary school aged children

are headed by solo parents

are without computers

own a computer but require training

During the programme, refugee background families have access to interpreters/translators, childcare, transport, and family liaison support.

How it works:

CLICK TO ENLARGE. CiH for Refugees is a partnership funded by MOE and delivered by regional training providers and the 20/20 TrustThe initiative is a partnership:

regional training providers deliver the Refuge Connect training, employ family liaison and provide technical support to the families. They are contracted to the Ministry of Education, who select them for their expertise and capacity in delivering ICT, their community involvement and accessibility to the refugee community.

The 20/20 Trust provides refurbished computers and an Internet subsidy, under Ministry contract.

The families are chosen by the Ministry of Education and Red Cross Refugee Services.

Family Liaison Persons: Key to the success of this initiative is the involvement of a person from the refugee community who will act as a liaison between the training provider and the families. They arrange family/community meetings; give support, advice and guidance; facilitate transport, refreshments and childcare for families; supervise attendance and class administration; and records visits and feedback.

How well the programme works

Programme, field worker and academic reports show the effectiveness of the Computers in Homes for Refugee Families initiative: